Chapter 2 Summary

The chapter begins with a description of the island, Grandinsula. The landscape is hilly and mountainous, and the towns are set among the hills. The island has historically faced danger from pirates, so the towns near the coast are fortified. The only large safe location on the coastline is in the south, where the main city of Cuidad (Spanish for city) is located. The rest of the coastline is occupied by fishermen, who ply their trade in a leisurely manner, because fish is popular among islanders, and they can sell everything they catch.

Miguel and Lazaro, two fishermen, are mending their nets by the shore early one morning. As they stare out over the sea, they see a swimmer approaching the shore. The swimmer seems to be tired, as he is swimming very slowly and sometimes appears to drift back offshore. Miguel and...